Creek's Redemption
by squeaken1
Summary: SEQUEL TO CREEK'S RETURN: After getting thrown out of the Troll Tree, Creek was found and invited into Smurf Village by Smurfette. Will he find what he's looking for, or be villageless forever? Meanwhile, Branch and Poppy are on a mission to cure an illness in the Troll Tree.
1. Welcome to Smurf Village

**THIS IS A SEQUEL TO CREEK'S RETURN! READ THAT FIRST IF YOU HAVEN'T!**

 **Anyway, I hope this wasn't too long of a wait, for those that did read the first story. I appologize for the wait. I actually did a lot of brainstorming and research while coming up with this. I had watched smurfs when I had cable almost every night (because that's what played on Boomerang at the time), but I wanted to make sure I characterized them right. So, I watched a few smurfs movies, some of the old cartoons, and read a lot of wikipedia. Haha!  
**

 **Anyway, this sequel went through at least three name changes. I think this one is the most appropriate. And don't worry, next chapter you will get to see more trolls, I promise you! I'm actually more excited than I should be about a scene that will take place much later. I'll let you know which scene it is when it appears. This is much shorter than I thought it would be, but oh well. Enjoy the smurfs!**

* * *

"You'll love Smurf Village!" Smurfette exclaimed, making a dramatic gesture with her hands. "It's so peaceful, and there's so many smurfs for you to get to know!"

Listening intently, Creek followed her steps closely. They made their way through the brush, deeper than Creek had ever gone. He wasn't even sure how far they had traveled, or how much farther they would have to continue on. It felt like they had been walking for an eternity, but Smurfette's sweet voice seemed to at least help the time pass by a little. While she continued on explaining what Smurf Village was like, Creek made small nods.

Eventually, his mind began to wander. Would he be accepted in Smurf Village? He wasn't even sure what other smurfs looked like. Would they be blue, like Smurfette, or would they come in a rainbow of colors like Trolls? Did they like to sing, dance, and party? Did they even have Hug Time? Before he could wonder even farther, a tune began to ring in his ears: it was the tune of singing smurfs.

" _La la-la-la-la-la! Sing a happy song!_

 _La la-la-la-la-la!_ _Smurf the whole day long!_ "

"Ooo! I can hear them! We're almost there!" Jumping with excitement, Smurfette grabbed Creek's arm and dragged him swiftly forward towards the singing. It grew louder and louder until suddenly, they emerged into Smurf Village.

Staring in awe, Creek let his gaze glide around the many singing smurfs. They were all blue, wore white, and all seemed to be…boys. Darting his eyes around quickly now, he searched for other girls, but couldn't find any. With a puzzled expression plastered on his face, he turned to Smurfette, asking, "Where are the other girl smurfs?"

Smurfette let out a small giggle, dragging him deeper into the village. "I'm the only girl here. Now come, I need to introduce you…"

As she dragged him along, Creek began to wonder how she could be the only girl, but decided it wasn't worth straining his brain over. Around them, many smurfs heads turned their direction, pulling them away from their activities. Quickly, a line of smurfs began to form behind them like a parade.

"There's Handy Smurf, and Clumsy Smurf, and Brainy Smurf…" Smurfette began, gesturing at each of the smurfs as they passed by.

Creek made a small wave towards them, curling his lips into a smile. They didn't wave or smile back. Instead, they sent him curious looks, eyeing him intently.

"…and Baker Smurf, and Party Planner Smurf, and Grouchy Smurf…"

The surrounding smurfs began to whisper amongst themselves, still trailing behind the odd couple. Eventually, they made their way to the center of the village, where they were greeted by an elderly smurf dressed in red and a white beard.

"And this," Smurfette finally concluded, waving a hand towards the older smurf, "is Papa Smurf."

Raising a brow, Papa Smurf examined the troll before him. He had never seen such a creature before in his very long life – 546 years to be exact! With suspicion, he approached the purple creature, rubbing his bearded chin. In certain ways, he did resemble a smurf. He was the appropriate height, had a similar body build, and even had the same shaped ears! However, his hair was all wrong, his complexion did not match that of a smurf's, and his nose was much smaller – not to mention his ears were just too big.

"Hello," Creek piped up, unsure of how to feel about Papa Smurf, "My name is Creek. I'm a troll…" As his voice trailed off, Creek held out a hand for the older smurf to shake.

"A troll, you say…" Papa Smurf stopped in front of Creek, eyeing him carefully. "And you're not one of Gargamel's creations?"

"Who?" Creek questioned in surprise, still holding out his hand.

Smurfette elbowed Papa Smurf, uttering under her breathe, "Papa! He just lost his home in his own village. He just needs a place to stay…"

Realizing Creek had no idea what he was talking about, Papa Smurf let his guard down. A small smile formed against his fluffy beard. Shaking Creek's lonely handshake, Papa Smurf said, "In that case, welcome to Smurf Village."

"Thank you," Creek said with a smile.

 _Ding!_

Creek's Hug Time bracelet popped, blooming with a bright glow. Out of habit, Creek reached out for the closest body to him and began to hug it – in this moment, it was Papa Smurf. The older smurf awkwardly hugged him back, unsure of what was happening.

"Um, you're welcome…" he uttered.

"Sorry," Creek mumbled, pulling away. "Trolls hug every hour, on the hour."

"That's stupid," Grouchy Smurf stalely stated. "I wouldn't wanna hug anyone that much."

"But you don't hug anyone ever," Clumsy Smurf pointed out, tripping over his own two feet somehow.

" _Anyway_ ," Smurfette said, trying to bring them back on topic, "Creek is gonna need a place to stay…Are there any mushrooms available, Handy?"

Stepping out of the blue crowd, Handy Smurf scratched his head. "I mean, I'm sure I could prepare a mushroom for Creek to live in by the end of the week – as long as Clumsy doesn't do any more damage around town, that is."

"In the meantime," Papa Smurf added, "You should bunk with one of the other smurfs."

"He's not bunking with me," Grouchy Smurf announced, crossing his arms.

Leaping up off the ground, Clumsy Smurf raised his hand enthusiastically. "Ooo! He could bunk with me! I've always wanted to have a sleepover!"

With a wide smile, and his hands clapped together in front of his chest, Creek made a small bow towards Clumsy Smurf. "Thank you for helping me in my time of need."

"Oh, uh…You're welcome." Snatching Creek's arm, Clumsy trampled towards his own mushroom, bumping into other smurfs as he did so. "Come on! Let me show you where I live!"

Rolling his eyes slightly, Creek muttered, "You smurfs seem to do this a lot, don't you?"

As the two disappeared in the sea of smurfs, Brainy Smurf approached Papa Smurf, concern growing on his face. "Papa, I'm not sure if this is such a good idea. What if he is just one of Gargamel's more cunning creations?"

"Don't worry, Brainy. I'm sure we'll all be just fine. He's just a troll, after all."

Although Papa Smurf hid it well, a deep concern grew in his heart. Even though it was clear to him that Creek had never heard of Gargamel, he wasn't a smurf. He could be a very dishonest creature. But then again, he could just be judging too early. Papa wasn't sure what to think. He wanted to keep all of his smurfs safe. So, with careful precaution, he decided to do his own research into trolls. He didn't want this stranger destroying the bliss of smurf village. The older smurf was going to make sure he could protect all of his little smurfs – that's what a papa did, after all!


	2. An Infected Troll Tree

**Aaaand here's chapter 2! We finally leave Smurf Village and take a look at what those colorful trolls are up to! This took longer to write than I thought it would. I had a momentarily writer's block. I just couldn't figure out what I wanted Branch to say at one point, and yet I knew. It was annoying. Anyway, take this chapter and enjoy!  
**

 **FrozenTinkerbellPotter-Lover15: I'm so glad you are enjoying this! I hope you are ready for what's in store, because I have a feeling this will go a little more in depth than Creek's Return!**

 **mariahdobby13: Indeed so.**

 **TheSnackPack03: And here it is! This sequel should tie everything together in the end much better than Creek's Return did!**

 **BlackRobin7: I'm actually surprised that there aren't a lot more Smurfs/Trolls crossovers written yet. I felt that this needed to be done! And you'll have to continue reading to find out!**

 **Ultimatrix Bearer: I was actually debating on having the other girl smurfs from The Lost Village appear in here. I'm not sure why I decided to go without them, to be honest. And hey, welcome to the ride! I hope you enjoy it!**

 **SkyZoneKiller: Thank you! And welcome to the sequel!**

 **And without further adieu, the chapter 2:**

* * *

Hovering over her dear friend, Biggie, Poppy tried to hide the concern welled up inside her. From head to toe, the large troll was covered in bright-orange spots, standing out against his now paler self. Biggie wrapped himself in a fuzzy blanket, shivering as sweat dripped down his nose.

"How can I be both hot and freezing?" Biggie complained, pulling the blanket closer to his body.

"It's because you have Spotted Leech Fever," Dr. Plum Plimsy stated, eyeing her patient over her clipboard. Biggie let out a squeak. "How long have you had these symptoms?"

"I started coughing the other day, and yesterday I had a fever…" Biggie explained, worming a finger out of the blanket to tap his chin as he recalled the information.

"I see," she said, keeping a neutral face. "I recommend you stay here in the Emergency Pod until you start feeling better. If there's anything I can get you to help, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks…" Biggie squeaked, hugging the blanket in place of Mr. Dinkles, who sat in a hair nearby.

As the two talked, Poppy stroked Biggie's light-blue hair. She wished there was something she could do for her ill friend.

"Poppy, might I have a word with you?" Dr. Plum inquired, pulling Poppy out of her thoughts. She motioned for the pink troll to follow her into the back of the pod, away from the sick troll. Obediently, Poppy followed, a frown plastered on the queen's face.

"Is Biggie gonna be alright?" Poppy whispered, glancing back towards the large troll once they were out of earshot.

"I'll be honest with you, I'm not sure," Dr. Plum bluntly stated, her neutral expression fading into a look of concern.

"Why, what's wrong?" Poppy's voice cracked a little as she fought back tears.

"Well, Spotted Leech Fever is not something to be taken lightly," Dr. Plum began to explain. "If not treated correctly, it could be fatal…"

Poppy let out a gasp of horror as the doctor's words faded. "H-how?" the pink troll asked, tears leaking from her eyelids.

"You see, the spots on her skin drain the life out of her, so to speak. Over time, they will swell up, while her body will become weaker."

"Can't you fix this?!"

"I can reverse it, but I am all out of the antidote."

Upset, Poppy dramatically swung her fists in the air. "Why not?!" she cried. "You're the doctor! You fix trolls! You of all trolls should have the antidote!" With a waterfall of tears streaming down her cheeks, Poppy began to hiccup.

Hesitantly, Dr. Plum placed a comforting hand on the pink troll's shoulder. Words tried to escape her lips, but she couldn't find them. Inhaling deeply, the purple troll finally found her voice, "Normally I have the antidote. But Biggie is the tenth case I've had this week. I'm afraid it's spreading."

"Oh," Poppy muttered, feeling a bit foolish as her cheeks brightened. "I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"If you know where I can find a flower called a Thorned Lion, that would help me greatly," Dr. Plum said with a sigh. "The nectar from that plant is the last ingredient I need for the antidote, and the nearby flowers have all died…" Rubbing her temples, the doctor frantically shook her head. "I just don't know what to do…"

Having only to ponder for just a moment, an idea instantly planted itself into Poppy's brain. "I bet Branch could find those flowers! He's scouted the area loads of times in the past!"

"It's worth a shot," Dr. Plum admitted, admiring the queen's positivity.

"I'll be right back!" she said enthusiastically as she rushed out of the Emergency Pod.

With great speed, the pink troll jolted towards Branch's small bunker. It was just a few branches away from the one the Emergency Pod hung in. She was certain that Branch could help them find the Thorned Lion. He was good at scavenging, seeing as how he was the only survivalist of the village. If anyone knew where to find it, it would have to be him. Once she reach's Branch's small bunker, she pounded her fist against his door, hollering his name over and over again until he answered.

"What is it now, Poppy? I'm in the middle of-" Branch's words were cut off by the dried tears on the pink troll's face. "Were you crying?" he uttered, reaching out for Poppy's cheeks to stroke.

Poppy made a small nod. "Branch, do you know where we can find a Thorned Lion?"

Branch raised an eyebrow, eyes widening. "Uh, why?"

Taking a deep breath, Poppy answered Branch with great speed, as if she were trying to let out all her words in one single breath, "Biggie is sick with a disease that is fatal, but can be cured by the nectar of a flower that Dr. Plum doesn't have any more of, because the disease is spreading, and if we don't find this plant soon, Biggie could die, and Dr. Plum said that her supply of Thorned Lions died, so she has no idea where to get them, and did I forget to mention that it is spreading throughout all of the Troll Tree?!" With no air left in her lungs, the pink troll gasped for air.

"Calm down!" Branch exclaimed, holding his hands up to signal her to cease her worrying. ""I know where some Thorned Lions are!"

"You do?" Poppy murmured.

Branch nodded. "Yep. It just so happens that when we moved back into the Troll Tree, I surveyed the surrounding areas, and mapped them out in case any of the bergens turns on us."

Poppy crossed her arms and raised a brow. "Really?" she drily asked. "We're _friends_ with the bergens now."

"I know, I know." Branch rolled his eyes in annoyance as he made his way towards a bookshelf inside his small bunker. "I just like to be prepared for the unexpected. You can never be too careful."

The blue troll reached for a thick, brown book on the shelf, and began to flip through it. Each page had a hand-drawn map glazed over it, consisting of a small color pallet – black, blue, red, and green. Nothing was fully colored in; instead, perfectly even diagonal lines represented the coloring. The shapes of the objects, such as trees, were just simple, black outlines. Every so often, written labels would sprinkle themselves on the page. Branch stopped flipping when he found the page with a label "Thorned Lions". These flowers were represented with red outlines of what Poppy assumed to be the actual shape of them.

"Here they are," Branch began, tapping the image on the page. "They're at least a two-day's walk from here. I could be ready within the next hour and leave straight away."

"So can I," Poppy proclaimed, elbowing Branch.

"No, you're not coming. You have to stay and watch over everyone. Make sure the E.P. is quarantined so no one can catch whatever fatal disease is spreading," Branch lectured sternly.

"Dr. Plum can handle it. She knows more about medicine than I do. Let me help. Pleeeaaase?" As she protested, Poppy fluttered her eyes at the blue troll, smiling widely.

Branch let out a sigh. "You're not gonna let this go, are you?"

Poppy shook her head. "Nope!"

"Then let's go to Dr. Plum and see how much of this nectar we have to gather."

As the two were about to leave, Smidge came charging at them with her loud voice, "Poppy! Poppy! Where are you?!"

"I'm in Branch's Bunker!" the pink troll called back, heading back towards the front door. Before she could even reach it, Smidge had managed to scurry through.

"Poppy! It's your dad! He's in the Emergency Pod! Come, quick!" Smidge used her long hair to grab both Branch and Poppy and drag them away, bouncing towards the Emergency Pod. Their heads bashed against the tree left and right, until Branch made loud protests for her to release them. Once she did so – quickly apologizing – the rest of the trip was much smoother.

Inside the Emergency Pod, Poppy's father, Peppy, rested in a bed beside Biggie's. His skin was covered in bright purple spots, sweat dripping down his goosebumps.

"Oh no," Poppy cried. "You have Spotted Leech Fever too?!"

With a small cough, Peppy nodded. "I thought it was only a cold yesterday. But today these big spots appeared."

As Poppy tried to hold back tears, Branch began to rub her back, cooing at her.

"Branch, do you know where to find the Thorned Lions?" Dr. Plum asked, popping out of her hiding spot behind a curtain.

Slowly, the blue troll nodded. "How much nectar do you need?" he asked in a murmur.

"At least eight jars," the doctor answered, pulling empty mason jars out of a nearby cabinet. "Thorned Lions have the best nectar for healing, but the thorns contain poison, so be careful"

Branch forced a smirk. "This isn't the first time I've dealt with Thorned Lions, Dr. Plum. I'll be fine."

"I'll go with you," Smidge declared, stepping closer to the group. "You might need my strength to get around obstacles."

"Fine," Branch drily agreed, knowing he would lose any protests against it.

"So am I," DJ Suki, who had been visiting Biggie, announced as well. "No ifs, ands, or buts, Branch. This is serious, and I don't want to see any more of the Troll Tree get diseased."

"Okay," Branch complied. "But no one else. I don't want to have to keep track of half the village."


	3. Slumber Party

**I hope I did okay with this chapter. I feel like I'm not as strong with the Smurfs as I am with the Trolls. Maybe I'm wrong (I am my own worst critic, after all). Hopefully I did okay with my descriptions. I know I struggle with those sometimes.**

 **BlackRobin7: I'm glad that you are excited! Woohoo!**

 **Ultimatrix Bearer: OMG! Thank you! You're making me blush! I feel a little more confident about my writing, now!**

 **minecraft dude 1: It's okay. That's why I made the announcement on Creek's Return (so you guys can hop over here if you want to read more from me). I'm glad you like it, although I don't consider myself an author. I'm just a casual writer. You could always be an author if you wanted to. Realistically, if you practice writing (and continue writing on the side), you could be an author while you do something else career-wise. Believe in yourself.**

* * *

Slamming the door open with great force, Clumsy lost balance and fell as the door swung inside his mushroom. He picked himself up and brushed off his white pants. "Sorry, I do that sometimes," he bashfully admitted with a chuckle.

"It's quite alright," Creek said with a nod, entering the mushroom himself. The top of the doorway hung just above his head, causing his hair to brush against it.

Clumsy closed the door after him, catching Creek's large hair in the process. The troll tugged with his hair, hoping the door would release his lovely locks, but to no avail. "Oops, sorry…again…" Flustered, the smurf creaked open the door once more, releasing the hair from its grasp.

Creek let it roll over his shoulder as he glanced around the mushroom. He had never thought the fungus could become such a livable space – the entire inside was carved out with precision. Although the walls were part of the mushroom, the floor was made of wood. Against one wall, a fireplace stood proud and tall, despite missing a few bricks. On one side of the fireplace appeared to be a small kitchen, complete with a table and chair set. The other side had a small bookshelf, a couch, and various miscellaneous items that decorated the room. Behind the couch, a wooden staircase spiraled its way around the walls to a second floor. It wasn't like any pod he's been in, but it felt homey.

"What a charming little home you have, Clumsy," Creek said as he continued to examine every little detail.

"It's not much, but its home," Clumsy sheepishly said. "So, do trolls live in mushrooms too?"

The purple troll shook his head. "No, we live in pods that hang from trees."

"Oh, that sounds dangerous. Don't they move around a lot?"

"Only when it's windy," Creek admitted. "So, where do I sleep?"

"Right, right!" Clumsy rushed up the stairs, Creek tailing along. As they reached the top, they found themselves in a bedroom. Frantically, Clumsy made his way over to a closet and pulled out a sleeping bag and a spare pillow. He threw them against the ground as neatly as he could, which wasn't very neat at all. "You can sleep up here with me, and we can party all night long!"

Creek let a small smile cross his lips. "That sounds like fun."

Before Clumsy could even start to explain the possibilities of the slumber party, a knock was heard echoing downstairs; someone was at his front door! Jumping at the sounds of the knocks, Clumsy made his way across the room and down the stairs – tripping over his large feet every other step, of course. When he pried the door open, Smurfette was standing on the other side.

"Oh, hi, Smurfette," Clumsy chirped. "Did you want to come to the sleepover too? I have extra room!"

"No, Clumsy. But thanks for thinking of me," Smurfette answered, flushing slightly. She held her hands behind her back, kicking the dirt with one of her feet. "I actually came to ask if Creek was hungry. Chef just finished making smurfberry soup, and Baker made smurf bread to go with it! Oh, and you can come too, Clumsy!"

"Mmm, smurfberry soup sounds great," Clumsy dreamily hummed, rubbing his stomach and licking his lips.

Peaking down the stairs, Creek hesitantly approached the two smurfs. "Did you just say Chef?" he gulped, memories flashing before his eyes of the bergen he made a deal with. She had tried to feed him to King Gristle, the ruler of the bergens. Filled with fear and desperate, the purple troll had begged for his life when he escaped Gristle's mouth. Although she agreed to spare his life if he turned against his fellow trolls, she still frightened him. If he was able to escape the living hill, there was a small chance that she could've too.

Not having noticed the troll's trembling, Smurfette continued, "Yeah, Chef made plenty of smurfberry soup for everyone. I figured that you might be hungry from your journey, and was wondering if you wanted to try some of Chef's cooking…And Baker's too! He made some smurf bread!"

"Smurfberry soup?! Smurf bread?!" Creek grimaced, shaking his head. Did they eat their own kind? Choosing his next few words carefully, he asked, "What are they made out of?"

"Smurfberries!" Clumsy exclaimed, "…and whatever bread is made out of…"

"Oh, you've probably never had a smurfberry before," Smurfette said. "They're red berries that we pick in the forest near our village. They're delicious!"

"Yeah, you have to try some!" Clumsy agreed.

Feeling calmer, Creek approached the two much faster. "Sure, I'll try some of Baker and Chef _Smurfs'_ cooking." Creek hoped that they were both smurfs, more particularly Chef.

Smurfette's eyes lit up. "Great! Let's go!"

Good, they were both smurfs.

Having all agreed to fill their empty tummies, the three made their way through the village. When they reached Chef Smurf's location, he was pouring soup into the bowls of hungry smurfs. They each lined up in front of him and his stew pot, eagerly awaiting their turn. Having no other choice, the group of three moved to the back of the line, patiently waiting for their food. As they waited, Baker Smurf moved down the line with a cart, passing each smurf a slice of smurf bread as they waited for their soup.

When Baker Smurf passed the group of three, he gently handed them a slice, smiling as he did so. They thanked him as he moved on to the next few smurfs that stepped in line behind them. Creek began to examine the slice of bread, surprised by its plain look. It almost looked like cake, but wasn't as spongey and lacked frosting! Maybe it tasted better than it looked, he hoped.

After they received their soup, the group seated themselves at large picnic tables nearby, along with the rest of the smurfs. Smurfette and Clumsy immediately began to talk about how great the food tasted. Creek looked down into his bowl, unimpressed with its presentation. Where was the powdered sugar? Berries always went well with sugar. Trying to stay positive, Creek took a bite of his soup and bread – oh hair, how he missed troll food.

The bread wasn't sweet at all. It was soft and moist, yes, but it lacked that sweet, sweet flavor he craved. As for the soup, the smurfberries were filled with juicy flavor. Although they were sweet, they weren't sweet enough. It was a disappointment.

"How's the soup?" Smurfette asked through spoonfuls of her soup.

"Oh, just lovely," Creek lied, carrying a false enthusiasm in his voice.

"Great!" Clumsy exclaimed, somehow managing to drop his spoon and spill his soup all at once. "Oops."

* * *

Later that night, Creek and Clumsy sat in his bedroom, snacking on some cupcakes Baker had made for dessert. It filled the purple troll with excitement when he caught eye of the sweet pastries. As they scoffed down their food, the couple gossiped away about other trolls and smurfs.

"He's so paranoid about everything," Creek continued, taking a large bite out of his cupcake. "Always ruining parties by charging in, yelling about bergens that weren't there."

"Like the boy who cried wolf?" Clumsy inquired, taking a sip of his milk he clutched in his hands.

Creek nodded. "Exactly."

"Or maybe he's more like Paranoid Smurf," Clumsy wondered, tapping his fingers against his cup.

"Paranoid Smurf?" Creek cocked his head.

"Oh, he hides in his mushroom all day, because he's paranoid about everything," Clumsy explained.

Creek laughed slightly. "Branch would always hide in his bunker whenever he wasn't warning us about nothing, so you're probably right."

Giggling slightly as well, Clumsy picked up a cupcake for himself. The two fell into a short silence as he began to nibble on it. "Are there any trolls like Smurfette?" Clumsy finally asked, pulling away from his cupcake.

Glancing upwards, Creek began to shift through his memories. There were plenty of female trolls, but he really didn't know Smurfette very well. She was kind, and she seemed pretty positive when other smurfs were negative about his coming…Maybe she was like Poppy. She was always bright and positive. Smurfette seemed different, though. She seemed more understanding of Creek, as if she knew what it was like to be an outsider. Perhaps it was because she was the only girl of the village.

"Why is Smurfette the only girl smurf?" Creek asked, changing the subject.

"Well, she was created by Gargamel," Clumsy explained.

"Who's that?"

"He's an evil wizard that wants to capture all of us so he can steal our essence to power his magic. And his cat wants to eat us."

"Oh. So, why did he create Smurfette, then? Why didn't he take her essence?" Creek was intrigued.

"Well," Clumsy nervously began, scratching the back of his neck. "She was made of clay…so she's not really…like other smurfs."

Creek shoved another cupcake into his mouth.

"She was supposed to help Gargamel and almost flooded the village, but Papa Smurf gave her a potion that made her more smurfy."

"So, she's not a real smurf," Creek bluntly stated, surprised by the information.

"I mean, technically, but we love her just like any other smurf."

Creek smiled. Although she was different and had a bad past, the other smurfs overlooked it and learned to accept her. Smurfette _did_ understand him after all. She showed him compassion without judgement, accepting him, despite being thrown out of his village and not being a smurf. Just maybe he could feel at home in a mushroom, despite the food not being sweet enough. Creek let out a sigh as he got lost in his thoughts. Was his heart…fluttering? Unsure of his feelings, Creek brushed it away for another cupcake.


	4. Journey to the Thorned Lions

**It took me way too long to write this! I felt so uninspired to write this, for some reason. I randomly found my inspiration not too long ago, though. So that's good. It may take me a bit longer to update the next chapter now that I'm back in school. I actually brought my laptop with me to class today so I could finish this chapter while I wait for class to start! Haha!**

 **Lucas FTW: I understand that reference, but why?**

 **Guest: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it!**

 **Alicorns: Thank you so much!**

 **The song used in this chapter is "I'm On My Way" by Phil Collins (aka the song from Brother Bear! Haha!)  
**

* * *

With large bags strapped to their backs and a spark of ambition in their eyes, the four trolls set off on their heroic journey. Branch had ensured that each troll was equipped with anything they could possibly need to venture out into the forest – and probably more than they really needed. But there was no arguing with the blue troll when it came to safety precautions, so they just went along with whatever he suggested. It was better to be over-prepared than not prepared enough, according to Branch. That seemed to be his motto for the day.

Any moment he could bring it up, he did. A taratapuff would appear, and he would slingshot it in the eyes before it could come near them, causing it to scurry away. Then Branch would gloat about how his over-cautious habits worked out in the end, "It's better to be over-prepared than not prepared enough." Or they would find a branch that was too slippery for their powerful hair to grasp, so he would swing and tie a rope around it to help them swing across ledges. Again, he would repeat his motto.

After what DJ Suki thought was the hundredth time Branch had brought it up, she let out a heavy groan. Without even uttering a word, she turned up the music in her headphones to drown out his voice. The world around her became silent to her ears. "What's that? I can't hear you, Branch!" she teased, jumping around to the beat of her bouncy music.

Rolling his eyes, Branch let out a half-hearted laugh, "Okay, I get it. I'll stop. But you'll thank me later when you realize that my caution saved our lives." He pointed towards Suki as he spoke, as if she could hear what he was saying. He knew very well the DJ was blasting some tunes. Everyone could hear it humming rhythms at them.

Poppy giggled as she watched him warn her friend. "You need to loosen up a little bit, Branch. Have some fun while we follow the path to the Thorned Lions!" she exclaimed as she pointed forward dramatically.

"We need to stay focused," Branch cautioned.

Linking her arm with Branch's, Poppy began skipping down the path with a song humming through her lips.

" _Tell everybody I'm on my way  
New friends and new places to see  
With blue skies ahead, yes I'm on my way  
And there's no where else that I'd rather be_"

A small smile crossed his lips as the pink troll continued to sing. She was so full of energy and life, despite the sickness infecting the tree back home. It was her positivity that gave him hope, and that just swelled up his heart.

" _Tell everybody I'm on my way  
And I'm loving every step I take  
With the sun beatin' down, yes I'm on my way  
And I can't keep this smile off my face_"

Smidge joined in, nudging DJ Suki in the arm so she could join in herself. As soon as the DJ realized what was happening, her voice chimed in loud and proud. The only one not singing at this point was Branch. With a goofy grin plastered on his face, he gave in and let his voice join the small choir of trolls.

" _'Cause there's nothing like findin' Thorned Lions again  
No matter what the distance between  
And the sick trolls that we'll save will make you smile  
Oh it really lifts my heart_"

Now, with a song in their hearts, the four trolls skipped along the path. Every so often, they would check Branch's hand-drawn map, to ensure they were heading the right direction. They continued on through the daylight, passing through a field of colorful mushrooms and forest critters. Although he had loosened up, the blue troll still warned them not to touch the colorful mushrooms. The others obeyed.

When the sun fell to its slumber, the four trolls decided to make camp by some glowing mushrooms. Branch made a fire, while the others set up their sleeping bags. It wasn't long before they all huddled around the campfire, telling stories.

As the girls laughed, enjoying themselves, Branch sat back and listened in. Their stories weren't that adventurous. It was just small stories, such as how Smidge managed to break her record in weight lifting. Enthusiastically, DJ Suki shared a story about how Guy Diamond decorated her Wooferbug with glitter and how adorable she found it to be. It was heartwarming to see everyone having such a good time.

"Oh, you won't believe what happened to me the other day!" Poppy chirped, making Branch's heart skip a beat.

He allowed himself to get lost in her image, allowing her sweet voice to echo in his ears. The world around him slowed down just as his heart began to race. She was so beautiful, and so charming. As the pink troll let out a laugh, he could feel a goofy grin pull against his cheeks. She was everything to him, and he didn't want anything to happen to her on this journey. He vowed to himself he wouldn't let harm grab a loved one again. He would be their protector – in this case, Poppy's protector.

"Branch?" Poppy asked with a smile, slowly pulling him out of his thoughts. "Branch!" she repeated, snapping Branch into reality this time.

"What?!" Branch jumped, half-panicked. "What happened?"

Poppy and the other two trolls giggled, trying to shield their laughter with their hands. "I asked you if you had a story you wanted to share," Poppy explained through giggles.

"Oh," Branch uttered, his smile fading slightly. He hadn't thought of sharing a story of his own. Most of his days were now spent with Poppy, so the group probably knew all of those stories. What should he share, he pondered.

"Well?" Smidge asked with a smirk. "Do you got anything juicy for us?" She wiggled her eyebrows as she shifted her glance between Branch and Poppy.

"Smidge!" Poppy exclaimed with a laugh, elbowing the yellow troll in the arm.

"Well," Branch started, glazing over Smidge's comment. "I saw Maddie a few days ago."

The group grew silent, staring at Branch with wide eyes.

"She washed my hair…" Branch continued, his voice trailing off.

"Awww," the three girls cooed.

"How was it?" Poppy asked, moving closer to the blue troll.

"Relaxing," he admitted.

"Next time you should let her style you hair," DJ Suki suggested while touching her own hair. "I bet it'll look amazing."

"She was actually going to style my hair," Branch explained in a murmur. "But I freaked out and told her to stop." With his cheeks flushing a light shade of purple, he dropped his head towards the ground. He stared at his feet as they shifted slightly in the dirt.

Poppy scooted herself as close to Branch as she could, coiling an arm around his neck. Pulling his face closer to hers, she planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. A small smile formed across her lips as she softly spoke, "I'm still proud of you, Branch. You tried something new."

"Yeah, and I ran away," Branch mumbled back, not daring to glance at the pink troll.

"That's okay," she reassured him. "You're taking small steps. You don't always have to make big leaps."

Branch smiled slightly. "Thanks…"

* * *

"Can I see the map?!" Poppy squeaked, bouncing up and down as she tried to take the map away from Branch.

"No," he bluntly stated. "I need it to track where we're going."

"I know," she whined. "I just want to see how much farther we have to go!"

"At least one more days walk," he promised.

"Let me see anyway!" Poppy pleaded.

"No."

As the two trolls had their little spat, DJ Suki crept over to Branch, swiping the map out of his plump hands. Smidge moved next to her, peaking at the map herself. Most of the map was filled in with drawings that represented the world around them. One area, however, was blank – and planted right between where they stood and the Thorned Lions! What was over there? A lake? It was marked, so she wasn't sure.

"Hey, Branch!" DJ Suki called out, causing the two bickering trolls to whip their heads towards her. "What's this?" She jabbed her finger at the blanks spot on the map.

"Unexplored territory," he explained, swiping the map back.

"Why don't we go through there? It seems like a more direct way to get to the Thorned Lions." DJ Suki held her hands on her hips.

"Because I don't know what's out there. Plus, there's a large drop around the edge of that area. It's dangerous," Branch informed the almost red troll with caution.

DJ Suki exchanged glances and smirks with Smidge. "Onward!" the two proclaimed, heading towards the unexplored territory.

"That's not the right way!" Branch warned in a panic, making a quick glance at Poppy who still stood next to him. "Why won't they listen?"

Poppy just shrugged with a smile and tugged the blue troll towards the others. They pushed through colorful plants until they reached the ledge. A tree grew out of the edge, spreading its branches out like a fan. Below was a sea of greenery attempting to hide behind the mist. The air grew silent as the four trolls stared down below. Branch could only guess how far of a drop it was, and he wasn't confident enough that they would make it all the way down.

"See? Too far down. Let's turn back." Branch took a couple steps back, hoping the others would follow suit.

"I can get us down there," Smidge declared.

"It's too far!" Branch warned as the yellow troll started climbing the tree at the edge. "No! It's dangerous!"

Smidge waved at the group to follow her up as she began to walk along the trunk. The others followed both willingly and unwillingly. When Branch reached the top, he scurried over to Smidge and grabbed her wrist, worry swelling all over his face. With a twist of her wrist, Smidge was free from his grasp and continued towards one of the fanned-out branches.

"Trust Smidge," Poppy said calmly as she rubbed Branch's back. "We'll be fine."

"This is too dangerous. We could get hurt!" Branch continued to panic.

Once they reached one of the branches, Smidge turned to the group. "Who wants to go first?"

Poppy raised her hand, but Branch brought it down. She was the _last_ troll that needed to get hurt. He loved her too much. DJ Suki raised her hand next.

Smidge looked at the group, considering her choices. "Branch it is, then," she chirped, wrapping her hair around Branch's waist.

"Let me go!" he cried as he tried to wiggle himself free. He stopped when Smidge brought him over the ledge. Once his eyes glanced down, he wrapped his arms around her hair for dear life. "Don't drop me!"

Smidge lowered him slowly with ease. It felt like he was never going to reach the ground, but that was mostly Branch's nerves talking. After a while, his heart began to calm itself. He could see the ground, and noticed that this forest wasn't as colorful as the one he was just in. Aside from green, the only other color he could see was the brown dirt. He didn't mind the colors – they actually were some of his favorites – but it was not what he was expecting.

Once his feet were planted on the ground, Smidge released him and began to lower the rest of the group down. Once Poppy and DJ Suki joined him below, Smidge wrapped her hair around the branch itself and began to lower herself. She let herself drop much faster than the rest, letting out deep squeals of delight as she dropped.

"See? I told you I could do it," Smidge teased with a smirk.

"Okay, fine. You were right. I guess I should trust you more on your limits," Branch admitted in defeat.

"Where's all the color?" Poppy murmured, gazing around the green forest. "What is this place?"

An orange butterfly unlike one they've ever seen flew past the group.

"Someplace new," DJ Suki answered with a wide smile spread across her face.


End file.
